Hola de Callao!

Todo está bien aquí en Jorge Chavez! I got transferred to Callao! I was praying to be transfered here because it was getting waaaaay to hot in Las Flores. Here is a lot better, but still too hot.

First off, the mission sent us a link to a mandatory missionary survey, and I had to take it before writing, so it's going to be a little short today.

So right now the ground is trembling. Everyone in the internet café here is a little spooked. It´s amazing how satisfied the people are to dwell in their sins, up until the ground starts shaking, and then they run into the streets and pray. However, it is wonderful that that is their first instinct. They say it was 5.6! Wow. It just felt like a big truck drove by for a really long time.

I love Jorge Chavez, and Elder Pinedo is awesome. We get along really well. He strives to be obedient and is willing to learn and progress. Our Bishop shared with us that there has been a lot of problems with disobedient missionaries in the past, and that has damaged the relationship that the members have with missionary work. If I had to choose one goal for my transfer here, it would be to reestablish that confidence in us, and help the members to have spiritually uplifting experiences in the work of salvation.

Right now we don´t have anyone on date. We also only had one investigator when I got here. We´re up to 4 now, but we need to find more, and invite more to baptism. More than anything else, I´ve found that the most common weakness between missionaries is knowing how and when to invite to baptism, and how to prepare our investigators to accept the invitation.

I´m getting to know my area and the Elders in my zone. We played soccer this morning for a little too long, but it feels good to be tired like this. 

My trauma of the week has been a lost box from the transfers meeting. I´m pretty sure I left it in the taxi, but just in case you find a grey shoebox, full of the most beautiful ties you have ever seen, it probably belongs to me. 

Next week I´ll talk to you about our investigators on date!

Yo sé que Cristo vive! Lo siento cada vez que comparto mi testimonio, y mi amor por él y el amor que me tiene crece cada día más. Sé que el tiempo es corto, pero es mucho la mies. I LOVE THE LORD!

[I know that Christ lives!  I feel it every time I share my testimony, and my love for Him grows daily.  I know that the time is short, but the harvest is great!]

I love you!

Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!